The Toyota Land Cruiser Prado is a full-size four-wheel drive vehicle in the Land Cruiser lineup made by the Japanese automaker Toyota. Its Japanese name is Toyota Rando-Kurz Purado. One of the more compact Land Cruiser models is the Prado. Toyota’s J150 platform provides the foundation for the Prado as of 2009. It is offered as the Lexus GX counterpart in several nations.
Depending on the platform, the Prado may alternatively be referred to as the Land Cruiser LC70, LC90, LC120, or LC150. It is referred to as the Toyota Prado or Toyota Land Cruiser in some markets.
The Lexus GX, which has been rebadged to look like a Land Cruiser, fills the Prado’s luxury grade position in North America. The V8 engine and body panels used by the GX are nearly identical.
The ladder frame chassis, two-speed transfer cases, and rear beam axles of the Prado are features. While the J90, J120, and J150 platforms have front independent suspension, the J70 platform has a front beam axle.
As of 2014, the Fortuner/SW4 is offered in certain Southeast Asian and South American markets instead of the Prado, with the exception of the US, Canada, Mexico, and South Korea (both of which exclusively offer the Lexus GX).
In This Article...
What distinguishes the Toyota Prado from the Toyota Land Cruiser?
The Land Cruiser, which has a V8 engine option, is the vehicle to choose if you desire unmatched strength and dependability. The Prado is the ideal vehicle if you enjoy technology and want to test your skills on challenging terrain. It has extra equipment for off-road driving.
What makes Prado unique?
The Land Cruiser Prado stands out like a monument to previous objectives with its unwavering focus on all-terrain ability and occupant comfort, with an unbraked towing capability of 750 kg and a braked towing capacity of 3 000 kg.
What would a Prado look like in the USA?
In other areas, Toyota offers the Land Cruiser Prado, which is comparable to our Lexus GX but without the flashy emblem and accoutrements. The Prado features a diesel engine, a distinct look, and is smaller than the Toyota Land Cruiser offered here in the US. The SUV has recently been updated, and the sleek Black Pack makes us hope the Prado would arrive on our shores even more than usual.
The Black Pack adds a variety of dark touches to the exterior and interior of the Land Cruiser Prado but does not fully convert it into stealth mode. It first receives unique bumpers with additional aero components. Black fog lamp bezels, black mirror bezels, and black door trim go well with a front grille that is dark chrome. The model has transparent rear lamp clusters and a black rear garnish on the back. The design is completed by onyx badging and black wheels.
Even though the Black Pack gives the SUV a more modern look, we have to admit that we prefer the Land Cruiser Heritage Edition. The customized SUV will continue to be available through the 2021 model year and will have bronze stitching and highlights on the wheels. Additionally, trim-specific badging and darkened exterior chrome surrounds are added.
The updated Prado gets a more potent 2.8-liter diesel engine with the Black Pack that generates about 200 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque. A new multimedia system that promises quicker response times is also in the works.
The Land Cruiser has been a Toyota nameplate for close to 70 years. Toyota announced the sale of its ten millionth Land Cruiser last year. As the Land Cruiser’s underpinnings are very dated, we expect that the Lexus GX and LX will also receive a true overhaul shortly.
Is a Prado pricey or not?
The widely popular The Toyota LandCruiser Prado is a sizable SUV-like wagon with a seven-seat interior, a reputation for dependability, and unmatched service support. Although it is a large 4WD vehicle, it is highly comfortable for a family car on a daily basis and is one of the best options for lengthy bush journeys because to its extra-tough construction.
Autonomous emergency braking and a six-speed automatic transmission are features included on all Prado models.
A Land Cruiser is larger than a Prado, right?
The Prado is a mid-sized SUV in contrast to its bigger sibling. Its engine, which is notably less powerful, is a 2982cc four-cylinder inline engine with two overhead camshafts, just like the Land Cruiser. Although both use diesel, the performance of the fuel varies. While they both use diesel fuel, this vehicle’s horsepower and torquewhich are 171 bhp at 3400 RPM and 410 Nm at 1600 RPM, respectivelyare substantially lower. It employs an automatic five-speed transmission gear, therefore in comparison to the Land Cruiser, it actually has fewer possibilities. And lest I forget, it doesn’t have a V8 engine. It is an inline four-cylinder diesel engine instead.
The Toyota Prado may initially appear to be the Land Cruiser’s complete and total match in every manner. Other features, including movable armrests and a speed-sensing door lock, are absent from the Land Cruiser. Some of the Prado’s advantages also appear to be relatively tiny, including a 0.1-meter increase in its minimum turning radius. Its primary benefit over a Land Cruiser is that it is less expensive and smaller, which might make it more suited for some households.
The Prado uses little fuel.
In order to improve the driver’s presence on the road, there has been a trend toward automobiles that are larger or at least appear larger, especially in the previous ten years. This is mirrored in the Prado, which began to gain strength with the 2003 model year and developed into a clone of the Land Cruiser 200.
Despite this, the Prado changed its body shape to a seven-seater from an eight-seater, ostensibly to make additional room for passengers and freight. It didn’t seem like there was a space issue previously, but it still functioned. As a five-seater, the cargo space is enormous, and as a seven-seater, it works well for carry-on luggage for daily use. Additionally, the second row of seats can be moved forward 100mm (as a split of 60:40) to accommodate oddly shaped goods.
The GXL Prado doesn’t have a lot of flashy bells and whistles, which for little under $65,000 might surprise some buyers at this end of the market. In contrast to what you would have imagined in the early days of recreational off-road vehicles, the GXL comes equipped with a reverse camera, satellite navigation, Toyota Link, and 3-zone climate control. However, the GXL still has features like speed warnings from the stern voice that lives in the multimedia system; as a result, it serves as a fantastic entry point, finding the middle ground between straightforward, dependable off-road motoring and comfortable, convenient daily driving. Of course, the flagship Kakadu models get Blu-ray players in the back and radar cruise control to skew to families looking for an uber safe, super connected 4WD.
Considering how big the Prado seems, fuel efficiency is excellent. The factory’s stated target of 8.0L/100km could likely be met. If you use it in the city and suburbs, our test revealed that its reasonable 9.0L/100km fuel economy is more accurate. Like the larger Land Cruiser 200, the Prado has the luxury of an auxiliary gasoline tank, which doubles your fuel capacity by an additional 63 liters when driving off-road or while towing a caravan.
Thanks to a variety of airbags and other active and passive safety systems, the Prado received a 5-Star ANCAP safety rating in the middle of 2013. If you ever get into a collision with a Prado, it also helps to be huge since, at almost five meters long and weighing more than 2.2 tonnes before you get inside, that’s a lot to deal with.
What is the most expensive Prado?
Priced at $69,990 for the entry-level SUV Landcruiser Prado GX 7 Seat to $111,285 for the top-of-the-line Landcruiser Prado Kakadu, the Toyota Landcruiser Prado 2021 model lineup is available now.
What is the lifespan of a Toyota Prado?
The quick answer to how long the Toyota Land Cruiser lasts is as follows: The Toyota Land Cruiser may last you anywhere from 15 to 20 years or more with proper maintenance. The Land Cruiser can withstand over 300,000 miles of demanding use before breaking down because to its tough design.
Is a Prado always in 4WD?
Unlike vehicles like the Fortuner or MU-X, which only have rear drive and are classified as having part-time or selected 4WD, all Prados feature a constant 4WD system that drives all four wheels constantly. There is no “clever” computer trying to change the front/rear torque distribution; the Prado’s system is a straightforward Torsen center differential.